Cleaning and warming system for the spark-plugs of multicylinder internal-combustion engines and parts thereof



June 23, 1925. 1,543,646

H. C. SHAMBLIN CLEANING AND WARMING SYSTEM FOR THE SRARK PLUGS OF MULTICYLINDER,

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES AND PARTS THEREOF Filed Feb. 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i ff a mm far-veg June 23, 1925. 1,543,646

, H. C. SHAMBLIN CLEANING AND WARMING SYSTEM FOR THE SPARK PLUGS OF MULTICYLINDER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES AND PARTS THEREOF I Filed Feb. 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 23, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY C. OF MIAMI, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOE OF TWO-FIFTHS TO 11m- SELF, 'IWO-FIFTHS '10 PAUL E. BRADLEY, OF JOPLIN, MISSOURI, ONE-TENTH 'IO RICHARD E. BABCOCK AND ONE-TENTH T0 WILLIAM S. BABGOCK, BOTH OF WASH- INGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CLEANING AND WARMING SYSTEM FOR THE SPARK-PLUGS OF I'UL'I'ICYLINDEB INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES AND PARTS THEREOF.

Application filed February 2, 1925. Serial 1T0. 6,416.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that L'Hanvnr C. SHAMBLIN,

a citizen of the United States, residin at Miami, in the county of Ottawa and tate of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cleaning and Warming Systems for the Spark-Plugs of Multicylinder Internal-Combustion Engines and Parts Thereof, of which the following is a specification.

This application is a continuation in part of my application filed September 21, 1923 for spark plug cleaning system, Serial No. 66,133, Series of 1915. I

This invention relates to s ark-plug cleaning and warming systems or multiple cylinder internal combustion engines, and comprises the spark-plugs of the respective cylinders in combination with suitable connections and other elements for the urposes of, without removing said spark-p ugs, cleaning them, warming them, and avoiding the fire hazard heretofore constituting a serious objection to cleaning the spark-plugs without removing them as heretofore several times attempted. The invention further relates to sub-combinations of the system, and to various details or elements thereof.

The invention is especially of value for use in starting a cold engine by preserving the compression, cleaning all carbon an other foreign matter, oil and moisture from the spark-plugs, including the points thereof, and warming the spark-plugs, articularly the points thereof, and is inten ed also for use for a brief interval, of a few seconds or less, from time to time, as may seem desirable, to clear the plugs of carbon,

mm oil deposit and the like such as is firmed or accumulates with undesirable rapidity and with resulting lossof efficiency in engines that, for any one of a number of reasons throw oil, or pump oil, or where the oil level has been raised, inadvertently or otherwise, to flooding stage.

' In the use of sparklugs in internal combustion en 'nes it has ong been known that with use t ey become coated and clogged with carbon so that after a .timethey become so coated and clogged that the carbon brid s .the insulation and they will not spar the rate'of formation of such carbon.-

through the spark-phi deposit depending largely on the type and condition of the particular engine and the type and uality of fuel used. However, even thoug such extreme condition be not present, the coating and clogging by carbon, even though not bridging the insulation, handicaps the functioning of the spark-plug in degree according to the degree of coating or clogging, and this is true alsoif there be any oily moisture upon the spark-plug electrode points. To cure the carbon condition it is necessary in some manner to clean the spark-plu periodically, and this is done, practical y universally, at present by removing the spark-plugs and scrapin them, but such 0 caning as thus performe is usually only done at long intervals and is an unpleasant job that requires real time. It has beenproposed to, in various wa s, direct the products of combustion outwar ly through the spark-plu ,thus blowing them out, but such method as been found unsatisfactory for a number of reasons, among others, the following:

First, the greatest difliculty with fouled spark-plugs is encountered in starting up the engine when it is cold as the charge of fuel will not be warmed and vaporized properly by the warmth from the engine and the points of the spark-plugs will be cold and, further, the engine 1n cooling ofi will have condensed cold moisture, carrying oil and water, on the inner walls of the engine; second, such blowing outward at such time will result in driving this 0 illing oil and water into the spark-plugs and around the points thereof; third, such blowing outwardly into the atmosphere allows the full charge to escape on the compression stroke and so prevent the obtaining of the proper compression of the fuel charge as well as wasting much of the fuel; and, fourth, such blowing out when the charge does ignite results'in a jet of flame and incandescent par- The primary objects of the invention, in

its broader aspects, are to provide a system or combination whereby a blast of as under high compression may be directe through the spark-plug of one cylinder, through a connecting means or by-pass, through the outer end portion of the shell of a connected spark-plug of another cylinder into the central bore or chamber around the insulation of the central electrode of the latter sparkplug and will pass from there out of'said latter spark-plug into the interior of the cylinder in which it is mounted, wi ing off the inner face of the latter spark-p ug, the insulation of its central electrode, and its electrodes, including their points, said blast carrying with it all carbon, grease and moisture that may have collected in said latter spark-plug or on the points thereof, and warming said latter spark-plug, and particularly the points thereof, which will usually be exposed on all sides to the action of said blast which may be warm by reason of its high compression, or may be products of combustion; to avoid appreciable loss of compression in the c linders having the in teriors of their spark-plugs temporarily in communication while being cleaned and warmed; and to avoid risk of fire by guarding against any flames or sparks being exposed to the atmosphere about the engine by jacketing or enclosing such products of combustion as may pass out of the respective cylinders through their respective sparkln s.

F hrther objects are to provide for operation and control of the cleaning and warming system from the drivers seat of an automobile, or from a distance; to provide a construction which does not involve any modification of engine construction; to provide a construction which may be easily coupled up without any need for having any particular part of any spark-plug in any s ecial relation to a similar part of any of t e other spark-plugs of said engine; to provide a construction in which the sparkplugs may be removed and replaced as is now usual in engines not equipped with such cleanin and warming system with no parts of sai system requiring therebefore to be uncoupled or thereafter to be coupled to said spark-plugs; to provide a simple means or by-pass for, at will, providing communication between the interiors of two connected sparklugs; to provide in the latter means a chamber having at least a ortion laterally disposed with relation to 11's respective sparklug and having communication with the c amber or bore thereof by meansof an opening throu h the outer end portion of the wall thereof to provide in said connecting means a portion loosely surrounding its respective spark-plug and adapted to be held in position by the latter and the top of the engine and together with and to provide a combination of elements,

accomplishing the above objects and which shall be economical of manufacture and capable of application by even a novice simply by the removal of the original sparkplugs, the placing in position of the connecting means or by-passes, and then the insertion of the new plugs in the connector rings and screwing tight of said new spark plugs in the engine head, as usual.

In the accompanying drawin illustrating but several of many possi 1e embodiments of my invention by way of examples:

Figure 1 represents a side elevation, broken away and partly in section, of a Ford automobile engine equipped with a sparkplug cleaning and warming system embodying my invention, the dash or instrument board being indicated in a very general way in section; V

Figure 2, a detail enlarged view, partly in section and partly in side elevation, of one by-pass made according to my invention, as applied in operation, one of the spark-plugs being shown in side elevation as mounted in the cylinder head in the sec tioned part of the view, and being omitted in the other end of the connector or by-pass;

Figure 3, a top plan view, partly in section, of the parts shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4, a fragmentary detail sectional view of a modified form showing the sparkplugs as annularly ooved; v

Figure 5, a similar fragmentary detail sectional view of a modified form showing both the spark-plug and its ring or collar having opposed substantially plane surfaces in a vertical direction, but arranged at an interval from each other to form a chamber or passage between them;

-Figure 6, a side elevation, partly in section, of a slightly modified form of connector or by-pass;

Figure 7, a side elevation, partly in section, of a still further slightly modified form of connector or byass;

Figure 8, a side elevation, artly in section, of a still further modified form of connector or by-pass used in connection with a modified spark-plug construction;

Fi e 9, a top-plan view of a Ford automobi e engine provided with a modified form of a spark-plug cleaning and warming system embodying m invention, the dash or instrument board ing indicated rather generally in section; and

Figure 10, a detail sectional view, broken away, of the headof one of the cylinders of said engine with a special spark-plug applied thereto and adapted to be connected by a tube, as illustrated, with a similar spark-plug.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, A designates the engine, B the c linders thereof, 0- the exhaust pipe thereo D the usual dash or instrument board, and E the spark-plu s for the cylinders respectively.

Each 0% the spark-plug? E screwed into the res ctive cylinders has its shell 1 prefera ly provided with the usual annular shoulder 2 and immediately thereunder is rovided with perforations 3, preferably our in number and preferably equi-distantly spaced, as shown in Fig. '3, extending through the wall or skirt of said shell 1 immediately below the point where the tapered face of the insulation of the central electrode makes sealing engagement with the shell 1, thus being in communication with the interior of the cylinder B to which the spark plug is applied through the chamber or bore of said spark-plug E and ermitting the e ress or in ress of ases fi om or to the c amber or ore of t e spark-plug E and its cylinder B through the said perforations 3. v

The by-pass or connector 4, as shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, is preferably one integral piece which may be formed up from sheet metal, or cast or stamped and bored, or cast and bored, or otherwise formed by any usual and known or developed mode of production. It com rises two end collar ortions 5, and an intervening tubular portion havin a conduit or passage extending throug the inner faces of said col-.

lar portions 5 respectivel and a valve or turn-plug 6 is interpose in said tubular portion to open or close communication therethrough as desired, said turn-plug 6 being provided with an operating lever 7 formed with an eye 8, the levers 7 of all of the connectors or by-passes 4 of a system as'applied on any particular engine being adapted to be connected together, as illustrated in Fig. l, by a rod or bar 9 and cooperating screws or bolts 10 and their cooperating nuts respectively, and an operating rod 11 connected to the bar'9 extends rearwardly and upwardly through the dash D where it is preferably provided with a knob or equivalent 12 preferably within the convenient reach of the driver so that by a single pull on the knob 12 the driver may simultaneously temporarily turn all the valves or turn plugs 6 to open communication through each of the by-passes or connectors 4 and, by thereafter pushing the knob 12 back to initial position, may simultaneously turn all the valves or turn-plugs 6 to close communication through each of the by-passes or connectors 4, the normal or usual position of the turn-plugs or valves 6.

Each collar portion 5 is adapted to receive its respective spark-plug E and to surround the same about the perforations 3, which will preferably be in a single plane as illustrated in Figure 3, and each collar may have an annular groove 13 formed in its inner face, as is well illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, to form a chamber or space between the o posed faces of the res ective spark-plugs E and collar 5, the con uit of the by-pass 4 being in communication with the chambers so formed between each of its collar portions 5 and their respective sparkplugs E and forming, when its turn-plug or valve 6 is in open position, direct en closed communication between the chambers or bores of said spark-plugs E and the interiors of their respective cylinders.

In assembling or applying-on an engine, a suitable compressible, referably soft metallic gasket 14 will re erably be interposed between each co lar portion 5 and the top of engine A, and a similar gasket 14 will preferably be interposed between the shoulder 2 of each spark-plug and the opposed face of its cooperating collar portion 5, so that when the respective sparkplugs E are screwed tightly into the to of engine A, as usual, gas-tight joints will be formed between the engine head and the res ctive collar portions 5 and between the col ar portions 5 and the respective sp'ark- 1 plugs E. However, such gaskets or washers 14 are not essential. It is desirable that such joints should be gas-tight and this of course may be accomplished by employing suitable metallic or other material in the manufacture of the b -passes or connectors 4, or by smoothing t e faces of the collar portions 5, or by any one of a number of other methods, or means.

Also, it is not essential that the inner faces of the collar portions 5 be grooved, but, as shown in the slight modification il lustrated by Figure 4, the outer faces of the spark-plugs E may be annularly grooved as at 13 lnstead.

Or, as in the sli ht modification illustrated in Figure 5, t e opening in each collar portion 5 may be made large enough so that as assembled in operative relation it will be at a slight distance from the opposed face of its corresponding spark-plu E to provide space or chamber 13". for t e passage of gases from or to the perforations 3 in the shell or skirt 1 of the spark-plug E. Also, shouldered centering or spacing washers-15 may be provided in such case, though such washers 15 are not essential, and they ma be used in addition to the washers 14, or y way of substitution therefor, or may be omitted, or both washers 14 and washers 15 may be omitted, according as desired.

In the modification shown in Figure 6, instead of the structurally integral one-piece by-pass or connector 4, I provide a connector or by-pass comprised of a valve-casing,

hub or coupling 4 provided with the valve or turn-plug 6 and receiving the adjacent ends of the tubular extensions 5" preferably integral with and leading off from the collar portions 5 respectively, the adjacent ends of the tubular extensions 5" referably being welded in the part 4, so that as a finished product it will be, operatively viewed, a single part provided with a rotatable valve or turn-plug 6. Otherwise, the construction and operation of this modified form are in all res sets the same as above set forth.

In igure 7 I illustrate a modification ver similar to that shown in Figure 6 and di ering therefrom in construction and operation only by having the collar portion s 5 connected to the valve-casing or hub 4 by means of short curved tubular sections 5 which may have their ends externally screwthreaded and screwed into the ends of said hub 4" respectively and into their res ective collar portions 5, or may be welded in said hub 4 and their respective collar portions 5*, or otherwise suitably connected in known manner to their respective collar portions 5 and saidyalve-casing or hub 4".

In all of the forms shown in Fi ures 1 to 7 inclusive the conduit portion 0 the connector or byass between the two end collar portions 1s off-set or struck up so that the collar portions may fit down into the depressions about the spark-plugs as found in the Ford engine and in a number of other makes of automobile engines now in use and well known.

In the modification shown in Figure 8 the collar portions 5 have short tubular portions 5 having their ad'acent end portions externall screw-threa ed and screwed into, or welde in, the adjacent ends, res ctively, of the hub or housing 4, the co ar portions 5 and tubular portions 5 all being substantially in the same plane as illustrated, and a modified form of spark-plug E is used, havin its usual annular shoulder 2 of angular s ape transversely of the spark-plu having its shell or skirt 1" provided wit a groove 13 immediately above said shoulder 2 and having perforations 3 at this point, and the upper art of the shell 1 is externally screw-threa ed as at 16 to be enga ed lbzy a nut 17. In assembling, the spark-p ug is screwed into the top of its cylinder of the engine A, a gasket 14 is preferably then slipped down around the spark-plug E, lying on top of shoulder 2 same as in the form illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

In the modification illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 a spark-plug E having its shell 1 provided with a nipple 1 having, extending from its outer face laterally through the wall of said shell, a passa e or conduit 1,

which communicates with t e upper portion of the central bore or chamber of said shell 1 approximately just immediately below the point where the tapered face of the insulation of the central electrode makes sealing engagement with the shell 1", thus forming communication between the interior of its engine cylinder B and said passage or conduit- 1, is screwed into the top ofeach of e the cylinders B of the engine A.

The wall of the outer ortion of the passage 1 ma be interna 1y provided with screw-threa s or otherwise suitably connected to the tubes 5 which then have their other ends connected up in pairs by a valvecasing 4 in which is mounted a valve or turn-plug 6 having a lever'7 connected directly to an operating rod 11 extending throu h the dashD, the alternate sparkplugs ing illustrated as connected in pairs, and there being an operating rod 11" for each pair. I

Of course, any known suitable or desired valve construction or means or method of operation may be employed, for' instance, a check-valve construction may be used in substitution for the simple turn-plug construction I have illustrated, and it may be such as to permit the passage of gas through the respective valves in one direction in one position of the valve or control means while preventin such passage in the reverse direction w ile the valve or control means is in such position.

Also, of course, the by-passes and the chambers or spaces about the s ark-plugs might be formed in the cylinder eads, but this would be rather expensive and also would-not be applicable to a large proportion of the great number of engines now in ,use, and even where a' plicable to engines now in use would invo vs the expense of a new engine head and the waste incident to the discarding of the old engine head.

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure r by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cleaning and warming 8 stem for the spark-plugs of a multi-cylin or inter-- nal combustion engine, the combination of spark-plugs respectively mounted in the respective cylinders, each said spark-plug having a erforation through the wall of its shell, wit a conduit for forming communication between the interiors of a pair of said. spark-plugs to alternately direct blasts of gas under high' compression from one of saidspark-plugs inwardly through the other spark-plug of such pair;

2. In a cleaning and warming system for the spark-plugs of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, the combination of spark-plugs respectively mounted in the respective cylinders, each said spark-plug having a perforation extending through itsshell, with a conduit for tem orarily forming communication between the interiors of a pair of said spark-plugs to alternately direct blasts ofgas under high compression from one of said spark-plugs inwardly through the other spark-plug of such pair, and means for opening or closing such communication through said conduit at will.

3. The combination (if a multi-c linder internal combustion engine and spargyplii gs respectively mounted in the respective cy1-. inders thereof, each said spark-plug having a perforation extending through the" wall of its shell, with means for connecting twot of such spark-plugs together to form enclosed communication between the interiors of their respectivecylinders to direct some of the roducts of combustion from one of respectively mounted in the respiective c hnsaid cy 'nders inwardly through the sparkplug of the other cylinder and into the atter.

4. The combination of a multi-c linder internal combustion engine and spar -plugs ders thereof, each of said spar plugs ing a perforation through the wall of its shell, with means for connecting two of such spark-plugs together to form enclosed communication between the interiors of their respective cylinders to direct some of the products of combustion from one of said cylinders inwardly through the spark-plug the other of said connected cylinders an into the latter, and valve means inte in said means for panning or closing such communication at 5. In a cleanin and warming system for the spark-plugs o a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, the combination of spark-plugs respectively mounted in the respective cylinders, each said spark plug having a rforation extending through its shell, with parts, in operative position, fixed with relation to the respective spark-plugs and havinglchambers respectively communicating 'wi thebores of their respective spark-plugs through the perforations in the walls of the latter respectively, a by-pass for form communication between twov of said cham rs to permit the passage 0 .for o being'formed to munication between the interlors of said.

blasts 'of gas under hi h compression fronrv the interior of each 0 said s arklugs to the interior of the other'thereo an a valve ning or closing communication throug said by-pass at will. 1 v 1 Y 6. In a cleaning and warmin system for the spark-plugs of' a multi-cy inder internal combustion engine, the *combination of spark-plugs respectively mounted in the respective cylinders, each said spark-plu having a perforation extending throug the wall of its shell, with collars respectively surrounding the respective spark-plugs, each said collar having a ortion of its face spaced from the oppose portion of the 'face of its sparklug about the perforation in the latter to orm a chamber communicating with the bore of said spark-plug,

and material connecting said collars in pairs and forming a conduit providing for temporary. direct enclosed communlcation between the said chambers.

7 In combination, two spark-plugs, each spark-plug having a perforation in the lat eral wall of its shell, and means adapted to be associated with said spark-plugs to form enclosed direct communication between the interiors of said spark-plugs through the perforations in their lateral walls respectively.

. 8. In combination, two spark-plugs, each spark-plug having a perforation in thelateral wall of its shell, means adapted to" be associated with said sparklugs for temporaril at will forming enc osed communi- 10'0'. .cation 7 tween the interiors of said sparkplugs through the perforations in their lateral walls respectively, and controlling means for opening or closing such communication at will. Y

9. In combination, two spark-plugs, each spark-plug having a perforation in the lateral wall of its shell, and means adapted to be associated with said spark-plugs to form enclosed direct communication between the 110 interior of said spark-plugs through the perforations in their lateral walls respectively, said means comprising two collar portions adapted respectively to surround said spark-plugs and having parts of their 116 inner faces spaced respectively from the op sed portions of and spark-plugs about their perforations res tively, said means provide for enclosed comlugs through the chambers formed spaced portions respectively and the by sai perforations in the respective spark-plugs.

10. In combination, two spark-plugs, each spark-plug having a perforation in the lateral wall of its, shell, and means adapted to be associated with said spark-plugs to form enclosed communication between, the interiors of said spark-plugs through, the pet'- f forations in their lateral walls respectively, '180 said means comprising two collar portions adapted respectively to surround said sparkplugs and having their inner faces spaced respectively from opposed portions of said spark-plugs about their perforations respectively to provide a chamber between each collar and its spark-plug, each said chamber having communication with the interior of the respective spark-plug through the perforation in the wall of the latter, said means being formed to provide for temporary enclosed direct communication between said chambers to conduct a gas from one to the other, and a valve for opening or closing such communication at will.

11. For use in a cleaning and warming system for the spark-plugs of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a by-pass having two collars adapted to respectively surrround the respective spark-plugs and, in assembled relation, having portions of their inner faces spaced from the respective opposed faces of said spark-plugs, and be ing formed with a conduit extending from the inner face of such portion of one collar to the corresponding portion of the inner face of the other of said collars.

12. For use in a cleaning and warming system for the spark-plugs of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a by-pass having two collars adapted to respectively surround the respective spark-plugs and, in assembled relation, having portions of their inner faces spaced from the respective opposed faces of said spark-plugs, formed with a conduit extending from the inner face of such portion of the one collar through the corresponding portion of the inner face of the other collar, and provided with a valve for opening or closing communication through said conduit at will.

13. The combination of two combustion chambersof an internal combustion engine, and two spark-plugs mounted respectively in the walls of said chambers, each said spark-plug having a bore in communication with the interior of its combustion chamber, and each said spark-plug having a perforation in communication with its bore, with enclosed communi cati0n means for delivering gas from one spark-plug into the other.

14. The combination of two combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine, and two spark-plugs mounted respectively in the Walls of said chambers, each said' 15. In a cleaning and warming system' for a spark-plug of an internal combustion engine, the combination of a spark-plug mounted in its cylinder of the engine, and a tubular part mounted in a part of such engine and adapted to receive exhaust gases under com ression therefrom, with a conduit exten ing from said tubular part to said spark-plug to form enclosed temporary communication between the interiors of said tubular part and said sparkplug, and a valve for controlling such communication.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this s ecification at Miami, Ottawa County, Ok ahoma this 28 day of January 1925.

HARVEY C. SHAMBLIN. 

